1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to security systems and, more particularly, to such systems which mount over junction boxes to prevent tampering therewith.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Security systems have become widely popular in today's society and are used in many different applications. For instance, many times security systems are installed in automobiles in an effort to prevent those automobiles from being stolen or otherwise vandalized. Often times security systems are installed in dwellings to detect any unauthorized individuals breaking in the residence. Similarly, alarms are frequently installed in business and commercial establishments since it is appreciated that burglars believe that most business are attended at night, and that many such business establishments house very valuable equipment on the premises.
This increase in the number of alarms can be contributed to a number of factors. One such factor is that technology has made such alarm systems affordable and available to the majority of the population. Another factor is that many people today, due to job availability or other reasons, live in urban communities which are often associated with relatively high-crime rates. This leads to a sense of fear and insecurity, which for many people is to some degree alleviated by installing security systems in their homes or automobiles.
In addition, those living in more rural areas can often feel isolated and alone, and view security systems as a necessary means of protection. With the closest neighbor some distance away there is more opportunity for a burglar to access the residence without detection. In addition, police response to remote areas is often wanting.
Because of the above conditions, and due to technological advances today many security firms offer what are commonly referred to as central monitoring stations. A homeowner may install a security system in his or her residence to monitor access points like doors and windows for unauthorized entry and, if within a certain period of time a preselected code is not input into a keypad located within the residence, the security system will make contact with a central monitoring station via the residence's telephone lines to alert the station regarding the potential intruder. Such a system assures that even, if the residents of the home are unaware of the intruder, police will be notified and will respond to the residence.
The security systems, however, are not free from shortcomings. While most of these systems include some type of audible alarm, the real benefit is in the contacting of the central monitoring station which ensures a rapid police response. One significant drawback with alarms is that many people have become desensitized to the sound of an audible alarm and do not react. Often it is a false alarm, having been accidentally set off by the homeowner or car owner himself, which compounds the problem. Enterprising burglars realize this, and understand that if the telephone lines to the residence are cut such that a central monitoring station cannot be contacted, then even if the alarm in the residence is triggered, there will be sufficient time to enter the residence and remove the valuable items therefrom before anyone hearing the audible alarm might contact the authorities.
A number of devices have been proposed which mount over a telephone box and associated telephone lines on the exterior of a residence or other building to protect such lines from being severed or otherwise tampered with. A form of such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,868,080 to Olson. Such a device includes a channel-shaped stake adapted to be driven into the ground for receipt within the channel of the telephone line leading into the residence. A plate is secured to the upper end of the stake and has mounted thereon a telephone circuit protector. Such devices suffer from a number of shortcomings, however. In the first place, a persistent burglar can eventually breach the stake to gain access to the telephone lines to cut same and thereby prevent the security system monitoring the residence from alerting a central monitoring station of the impending break-in. In addition, such devices are vulnerable to tampering with the stake or plate without detection. Thus a burglar has the luxury of unlimited time to gain access to the enclosure and cut the telephone lines without concern for triggering the alarm.
Yet another type of security device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,315,654 to Kraft and includes a cover which mounts over a terminal block attached to the exterior of a residence or other building. A motion sensor type alarm is included in the device to sense movement of the cover and generate an audible alarm signal in response thereto. This device is likewise not free from significant shortcomings. First of all, the alarm only activates upon removal of the cover from over the terminal block, and only generates an audible signal which, as discussed above, will often be of no benefit. Furthermore, once the cover is remove, the potential intruder will have access to the telephone lines to cut same before any type of alarm signal can be transmitted to a central monitoring station.
As such, it will be appreciated that there continues to be a need for an inexpensive reliable security device which provides a secure enclosure to protect telephone lines from being tampered with, and which is responsive to any such tampering to alert a central monitoring station before the unauthorized individual tampering with the telephone lines gains access to such lines to cut them. The present invention addresses such needs and others.
Other efforts have lead to the proposal that a rectangular tubular, open, sheet metal type frame be mounted over a juncture box. Mounted to the interior surface of the frame are mounting blocks formed with forwardly opening threaded bores. Mounted on the blocks are plunger switches having their plungers depressed by a cover held in place by threaded bolts screwed into the bores. Should a burglar remove the cover, the plungers will be free to shift the switches to their open positions activating an alarm at the central monitoring station. While effective to activate the alarm, there are considerable constraints on the switch mounting as their respective plungers have only limited travel and opening and closing thereof is critical to the effective operation of the system. In effort to solve this problem I have experimented with and even marketed some tamper proof enclosures mounting plunger switches to the inside of a rectangular housing frame with rigid L-shaped actuators mounted pivotally adjacent thereto, each having a first leg to be engaged by a cover mounting screw to, upon screwing the cover in place, rotate the respective actuators to depress the switch plungers and hold the alarm circuit closed. While effective for activating the alarm, this device suffered the shortcoming that the rigid actuators allowed for only limited play in opening and closing the respective switches thus requiring precise placement and careful adjustment upon assembly for proper activation. This tended to render the device prohibitively expensive and unacceptable for many applications. A device of this type was disclosed in my prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/861,955 filed May 22, 1997, now abandoned.